Florida Sen. Rick Scott on Sunday announced that he had followed through on his pledge to address the public menace of “swatting.”
In an email to constituents, the Florida Republican noted that he had been joined by fellow GOP Sens. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Mike Rounds of Indiana to introduce the “Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act.”
The bill, according to Scott’s office, expands federal law governing criminal hoaxes to specifically prohibit “swatting.”
Read: Florida Sen. Rick Scott Eyes Legislation To Guarantee Penalties For ‘Swatting’ Callers
The Anti-Defamation League on its website defines swatting as a “deliberate and malicious act of reporting a false crime or emergency to evoke an aggressive response (often a SWAT team) from a law enforcement agency to a target’s residence or place of work to harass and intimidate them.”
The caller typically reports to law enforcement that a violent crime has just occurred or is happening and that the suspect is in the area and armed.
Scott’s bill would make swatting a crime punishable by up to five years in federal prison. If someone is seriously hurt because of a swatting attack, the prison sentence could run to 20 years under Scott’s bill.
Scott himself was a victim of swatting over the Christmas holiday. Tuberville also has been swatted.
“Last month, criminals attempted a ‘swatting’ on my home in Florida in a despicable act of cowardice, clearly intending to terrorize my family and inflict fear and violence. This is happening around the nation, not just to elected officials, but also to hundreds of Jewish institutions,” Scott said in a statement on Wednesday, when his bill was introduced.
Read: Fresh Off Another “Swatting” Attempt Georgia Rep. MTG Posts Details Of Assassination Threat
“It’s sickening, dangerous and we must stop it.”
The senator added that he was “incredibly grateful” for the work of law enforcement officers around the country who “put their lives on the line every day” to keep people safe.
“They shouldn’t be put in danger and have their time and resources wasted because of these disgusting hoaxes,” Scott said. We must send a message to the cowards behind these calls—this isn’t a joke, it’s a crime.”
Scott noted that his bill was endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations and the National Sheriffs’ Association.
In a statement, Sheriff Greg Champagne of St. Charles Parish in Louisiana and the current president of the National Sheriffs’ Association, said, “The National Sheriffs’ Association endorses Senator Scott’s anti-swatting legislation. This serious initiative addresses an ongoing and alarming surge in criminal activity that transcends both county and state lines.”
Read: Florida Sen. Rick Scott Also Victimized By Swatting Incident During Holiday Week
“Criminals continue to exploit online resources, jeopardizing the safety of civilians and our dedicated deputy sheriffs and other first responders,” he added. “Congress must act swiftly to enact this crucial legislation to safeguard the lives of community members who may become targets of such dangerous criminal activities based on political ideology.”
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